Over the last several years, there has been a substantial shortening of the period of time patients remain in hospitals. Reductions in hospital stays are directly related to the Federal Medicare Regulations governing reimbursements to hospitals and other institutions. These regulations impose strict limits on the number of hospital days, or institution days, for which Medicare will reimburse the hospital or institution.
Due to the shortened hospital stays, many patients are returning home in a debilitated or partially recovered condition. These patients often need assistance or reminders that medication should be taken, or that various measurements such as temperature or blood pressure should be made.
This situation is exacerbated by the fact that the size of the population which is over 65 years of age is continually increasing and will be increasing for the foreseeable future. In addition, because of the improved health care delivery system in general, patients with chronic diseases are surviving for longer periods of time and leading relatively normal lives with intermittent outpatient intervention.
It has also been recognized that patients who need follow-up or who are convalescing at home can benefit from regular home monitoring. Such monitoring provides follow up information concerning the condition of the patient.
For instance, home monitoring can provide information concerning the long-term effectiveness of drugs. This information can in turn lead to altering, increasing or decreasing prescription requirements to more cost effectively obtain the desired result with the patient.
Home monitoring can also provide long-term trend information concerning patient vital signs. In extreme cases, home monitoring can result in immediate intervention to avoid a life threatening situation.
Thus, there continues to be a need for devices and apparatus which would be of assistance to homebound patients in a variety of ways. Further, there continues to be a need for such devices which can be provided cost-effectively.